Just one month prior to the commencement of "Operation Typhoon" (the German assault on Moscow) the Waffenamt was scheduled to begin installing the long-barreled 7.5cm KwK gun on its new Mark IV Ausf G tanks. However, when the Wehrmacht encountered the superior Russian KV-1 and T-34 tanks during the summer campaigning season, a decision was made to mount the 7.5cm KwK40 L/43 gun onto as many existing Mark IVs as possible. Since the new gun fired larger rounds than the short-barreled gun mounted on the F1 tanks, ammunition storage capacity had to be increased and the crew compartment had to be re-arranged to accommodate the modifications.

The Third Battle of Kharkov, as historians refer to it, occurred in February-March 1943. A German counterattack succeeded in recapturing the city of Kharkov, and also led to the destruction of around 50 Soviet divisions. Dragon Armor's newest item depicts an armored vehicle that fought in this campaign - a Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G. The G version of the famous Panzer IV featured upgraded armor on the front and sides and it received a long-barreled 7.5cm KwK40 gun. This is a standout model since it marks Dragon Armor's first ever foray into Panzer IVs in 1:72 scale. As such it's a brand new tooling and boasts the finest possible details in this smaller scale. It capitalizes on prior research conducted for Dragon's 1:35 scale Panzer IV F/G, widely regarded by many as being the best ever Panzer IV kits.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Sd. Kfz. 161 PzKpfw IV Ausf. G medium tank.
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